Pumpkins And Walnuts

Nasreddin Hodja was lying in the shade of an ancient walnut tree.

His body was at rest, but, befitting his calling as an imam, his mind did not relax.

Looking up into the mighty tree he considered the greatness and wisdom of Allah.

“Allah is great and Allah is good,” said the Hodja,

“but was it indeed wise that such a great tree as this be created to bear only tiny walnuts as fruit?

Behold the stout stem and strong limbs.

They could easily carry the pumpkins that grow from spindly vines in yonder field, vines that cannot begin to bear the weight of their own fruit.

Should not walnuts grow on weakly vines and pumpkins on sturdy trees?”

So thinking, the Hodja dosed off, only to be awakened by a walnut that fell from the tree, striking him on his forehead.

“Allah be praised!” he exclaimed, seeing what had happened.

“If the world had been created according to my meager wisdom,

it would have been a pumpkin that fell from the tree and hit me on the head.

It would have killed me for sure!

Allah is great! Allah is good! Allah is wise!”

Never again did Nasreddin Hodja question the wisdom of Allah.